Only indoor rink in Cape Breton’s Victoria County in danger of closing
The Victoria Highlands Civic Centre in Baddeck, N.S. is the only indoor arena for miles. It's nearly 50 years old and it's seen better days.
"We were shocked at the level of what's required for the building," said John Trickett, president of the arena’s board of directors.
Trickett says when an engineer was brought in to look at fixing the roof and adding more dressing room space for female players, a whole host of other problems was discovered.
Along with pieces of the wall behind one of the nets falling apart due to severe rusting, there are also rusting problems near the roof, which is causing mold and other weather damage.
"Essentially, it's like a rusted out car in some of the main areas," Trickett said. “And over years, that's allowed rain and water to get in and create rusting effects internally and other components. And mildew.”
The arena is home to more than 100 kids who play in the Baddeck and Area Minor Hockey Association.
Its catchment area ranges from North of Smokey to Iona - a distance of nearly 200 kilometres.
Victoria County Warden Bruce Morrison says replacement probably isn't feasible right now, so they're in the early days of looking at potential repairs.
"A brand new rink would be lovely," Morrison said. "But I think whatever improvements are going to be made will be based on whatever funding will be made available by, particularly, the provincial and federal governments."
Trickett says the hope is to avoid having to close the rink for the 2022-23 season, but he admits repairs won't come cheap.
"For this year, we're safe. But next year, it's in jeopardy," Trickett said.
"To get it roof-tight and weather-tight, we're looking at somewhere around $2.3 to $2.2 million dollars. But that doesn't address the other concerns inside with the mold issues, the wet insulation."
The arena is also home to the closing banquet for the annual Cabot Trail Relay Race and its more than a thousand runners. It also hosts many other events.
"It would be a big loss to the community," Trickett said.
Trickett and Morrison say the rink’s future will be further discussed with Victoria County council in October.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Two killed after collision with truck on Hwy. 417 near Limoges, Ont.
Ontario Provincial Police say two people were killed after a car and a transport truck collided in the westbound lanes of Highway 417 near Limoges, Ont. on Tuesday afternoon.
Houston braces for flooding to worsen in wake of storms
High waters flooded neighborhoods around Houston on Saturday following heavy rains that have already resulted in crews rescuing hundreds of people from homes, rooftops and roads engulfed in murky water.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
What a U.S. farmworker’s case of bird flu tells us about tracking the infection
A U.S. farmworker who caught bird flu after working with dairy cattle in Texas appears to be the first known case of mammal-to-human transmission of the virus, a new study shows.
‘We made them safer and more fun’: Here’s what’s new about e-scooters
Electric scooters (e-scooters) have been gaining popularity in the capital and this season comes with some changes and updates.
Hulk Hogan, hurricanes and a blockbuster recording: A week in review of the Trump hush money trial
Crucial witnesses took the stand in the second week of testimony in Donald Trump's hush money trial, including a California lawyer who negotiated deals at the center of the case and a longtime adviser to the former president.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Canadian Auger-Aliassime reaches first Masters final in Madrid with another walkover
Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime has advanced to his first ATP Masters final, and he hasn't had to play all that much tennis to do it.